He-111 Chichester Harbour 1940??

There’s got to be a Mosquito in there somewhere as well…….

There are three wrecks I know about down that side.

One was an Anson. One a Blenheim. I think the third was a Blenheim, too.

Hudson?

A friend asked me what was in the mud in the middle of this picture. Is that the Hudson ? ‘Pretty deep mud just there !

No Hampden there as far as I know, though Hampdens were based at Thorney Island. (Hamptons being much rarer, of course.)

There was a Hudson that I visited – have just recalled visiting it. A large ASV aerial array was sitting on the mud.

Are yes…….Hampden ! (sorry missed the American spell check)
So anyway the connection was Bristol engines…….might it have been a Blenheim then ???
:diablo:

I’ll draw you a picture….

In that case I’d better turn myself in now then ……?:D

Straight over the head, that one, methinks……:D

I undertsand AHB & MOD were co-operative in this particular case……..:cool:

I should think the HP Hampton would be exceptionally rare.

Dont visit the site without a licence. You’ll end up in Court.

There is a story about the pilot of the 109 which crashed near Pilsey Island in 1940. Apparently he parachuted down onto the small muddy island of Pilsea and was stranded there by surrounding water and an incoming tide.
It is said that the local fishermen decided to leave him there for a few hours and waited for the tide to wash up to shoulder height , whence a police boat eventually put out, and brought him in like a drowned rat.
Its a great story which is very believable, bearing in mind the B of B was still happening, and Portsmouth had taken a severe pounding.
For those who wish to come down and look for any of the aircraft in and around Thorney Island, be prepared for acres of deep, thick mud, at low tide, the need of a sturdy shallow draft boat, the ability to dig in the most atrocious conditions and find twisted metal which would need a crane or similar to move.
To those who say ‘that’s OK…..it could be worth the effort’, then add up the time and costing of such an operation.
I’ll help by taking some pics for you…

Yup indeed a completely different press photo ! (sorry was off at a tangent there)
– also a HP Hampton & a Lancaster I believe around that area…….but whom was behind this picture I wonder …….& left all that lovely stuff there too ?

Actually being serious for a moment; I think someone linked to the Harbour Master had asked TAM to be involved in some of this wreckage clearance……..:(

Gerry R

Yes, I recall that and I have a copy in my files too.

It was impossible to identify the type from the photo, but I have visited a Beaufighter, Anson, Meteor and Blenheim wreck off the southern tip. There are others there besides, including a 1940 Wellington loss in that immediate area. We know there is a 109, bearing 180 degrees from Pilsey Island, that went down in Dec 1940 and to which Gerry R refers.

Mightyelf…not sure I understand your post, but there we are.

A familiar sight of Stevie Hall in Fishbourne Creek during said exc. ofcourse not to mention umpteen other wrecks just off the shoreline….

Missing ME 109?

[QUOTE=
As an afterthought, there was a Messerschmitt 109 lost in Chichester Harbour in December 1940 off Thorney Island, although it has never been located.[/QUOTE]

Just found this 2003 press cutting, so a belated addition to this thread on the interesting subject of the Chichester Harbour WW2 wrecks. The wreckage was discovered that year at low tide off the southern tip of Thorney Island, I never did find out later its type/identity, maybe it is of the missing 109?

Gerry R

No ideas!

It does not appear to be a contemporary period label, so I am wondering if somebody has got hold of a bit of the Fishbourne Creek Ju 87 and just got their wires crossed as to type? It would make a change from bits of other German aircraft that are not from a Ju 87 being described as coming from the Fishbourne Stuka, I suppose!

I can think of nothing else it could be from, frankly.

Here are pics of the offending item – any ideas?? I will also dig out the chaps number and call him (I was not on duty in the museum that day).

Dan

Interesting……..I too have a piece with the same apparent history !